Glen Oaks Foundation names 2026 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient
Mick Kolassa, a blues musician, recently retired from a career in the pharmaceutical industry. He attended Glen Oaks on the GI Bill after serving in the U.S. Army. He later earned a bachelor’s degree and a Master of Business Administration from Eastern Washington University, followed by a doctorate in pharmaceutical marketing and economics from the University of Mississippi.
In the early 1980s, while working at The Upjohn Company in Kalamazoo, Kolassa also taught classes at Glen Oaks. His career later took him across the country in roles within the pharmaceutical industry, including work in pricing and economic policy and as a vice president at a consulting firm.
The Glen Oaks Community College Foundation has named Mick Kolassa, a 1977 Glen Oaks graduate and Sturgis native, the recipient of the 2026 Distinguished Alumni Award.
The award recognizes alumni who have made a difference in their communities through professional achievement or service.
Kolassa, a blues musician, recently retired from a career in the pharmaceutical industry. He attended Glen Oaks on the GI Bill after serving in the U.S. Army. He later earned a bachelor’s degree and a Master of Business Administration from Eastern Washington University, followed by a doctorate in pharmaceutical marketing and economics from the University of Mississippi.
In the early 1980s, while working at The Upjohn Company in Kalamazoo, Kolassa also taught classes at Glen Oaks. His career later took him across the country in roles within the pharmaceutical industry, including work in pricing and economic policy and as a vice president at a consulting firm.
Kolassa also continued his work in higher education, serving on the faculty at the University of Mississippi and the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia.
He has also built a career in blues music, recently releasing his 16th album. His Christmas album was named the No. 1 blues holiday album for three consecutive years.
During his years in Mississippi and Memphis, Kolassa was active in the blues scene and collaborated with other artists.
“During my early days at Glen Oaks, after graduating from Sturgis High School, I would often entertain on the concourse at the college,” Kolassa said.
Kolassa has performed locally at the Riviera Theatre in Three Rivers and has used his music to support charitable causes. Proceeds from his CD sales are donated to The Blues Foundation in Memphis to support its HART Fund and Generation Blues programs.
Kolassa has served on the board of The Blues Foundation, as well as the boards of Trout Unlimited and the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust.
The Glen Oaks Foundation presents the Distinguished Alumni Award to alumni whose lives and careers reflect the value of education, service and community engagement.
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